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Tuesday, January 30

A Friend of Golf Legends Is Now a Friend of Mine

I have a new friend. His name is John Derr, and he has a lifetime of amazing stories about the golf legends -- Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, to name a few.

I will share with you what he has graciously shared with me.

Who is John Derr and how did he know the golf legends?

He was a journalist and broadcaster who covered every Masters from 1935 to 2001. In fact, John Derr was the lead CBS announcer at The Masters from 1958 to 1973. John also covered Ben Hogan's only British Open victory at Carnoustie in 1953. (You'll be hearing more about that later.)

And John Derr didn't just cover the golf greats. He also traveled with them, shared meals with them, and counted them as his friends.

I haven't met John (yet) but we have traded several emails. John is a family friend of my good friend Walter, who made the introduction. I've been sitting on this material since the holidays and can barely stand it. We better get started with John's stories this week.

First up: Sam Snead, and how John Derr came into possession of Snead's Triple Slam golf bag.

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